Sparky of SoCal wrote:Kinda sorta on the subject are those mylar ballons. We have been out the last 4 weekends to differant desert locations checking out wildflowers. All backroads, way back. The amount of those stupid ballons laying around is crazy. I think they banned the wrong thing.

I find balloons all the time while out exploring the Argus, Slate, or Panamint ranges. Yesterday I found two near the Crescent Mines at the southern end of the Panamints. One of the balloons was still partially inflated and had the words "You're So Special!" on it. These balloons are much more problematic than plastic bags! I find balloons much more frequently than I've ever found plastic bags.

While I agree that balloons are a bigger issue in the desert than plastic bags ever were, I'm against banning things in general and would rather not see another item added to the list kept by progressive liberals who love to tell the rest of us what to do. However, in principle I agree that the balloons are worse than the flimsy plastic bags that used to be more or less free. (Of course, nothing is free and so they were paid for in the grocery bill one way or the other, although their cost was negligible.) On the other hand, I really like the more sturdy bags that can be reused or purchased for a very small fee on the spot. So, I guess I'm agreeing to some extent and also disagreeing a little bit too.

Banning things is smoething I'm generally against, but I agree that it would have made more sense to ban the balloons than banning shopping bags. Liberals like to ban things and so I'm reluctant to suggest another item that they can put on their list of things to ban in the future. Come to think of it conservatives like to ban things too. That's why I'm neither! Keep America free and stop banning stuff!!!

Balloons could be the next product bannedThe plastic bag ban was stupid. The plastic straw ban is ridiculous. At least banning balloons makes some sense. I guess that's progress or the closest thing we can get to progress in the Nanny State.

I'm against banning anything (other than stupidity), but of the three items listed (bags, straws, and balloons), at least balloons makes some sense especially in light of some of the posts people have made to this thread. Libtards are obsessed with banning things. They must have some kind of psychological affliction to have such a crazy obsession!

sandman: It's all about power. Banning something is a political victory. It demonstrates that they can get something done and gives constituents confidence. It's more symbolic than anything, but you're right about balloons. That at least makes sense. Banning bags and straws on the other hand is a complete waste of time.

If there were a genuine ban on plastic bags and we were forced to go back to paper it might have done some good but from what I can see, fewer than 10% of people re use their own bags which must mean there is a huge increase in the use of plastics. How's that half whit attempt on banning plastic bags working out for you California? FAIL! Just wait till somebody tries to sue for getting some kind of disease from re using them... SOLUTION? I don't know... How about instead of charging for bags we go back to the old thin ones and merely charge a 10 cent deposit for them? I even got a saying in mind...IT'S GOOD FOR THE CAN IT'S GOOD FOR THE BAG! I've also notice they are charging a fee for disposing of TV's when you buy a new one. How about offering a portion of the fee back when you bring a TV back to a recycling center that will dispose of them properly???

Based on my casual observations, I'd estimate that 80-90 percent of shoppers are reusing bags. Many have fancy bags made of canvas or other materials and many just reuse the generic plastic bags that cost ten cents. How many times the generic plastic bags get reused is the important question, however, since one of the thicker, reusable bags probably uses as much plastic as the old ones, there probably is at least as much plastic being used to make bags. Then again, the point was to reduce litter, not to save plastic. So the real question is whether or not there is less litter in the form of plastic bags or not. Most likely fewer bags in circulation, means fewer bags floating around as litter. Even so, I am against any kind of ban.